Outset Netherlands is proud to have supported the semi-permanent installation Sanctum by Dutch artist Levi van Veluw.
The installation consisted of a deep blue chapel integrated into the raw architecture of the former munition factory and current space for contemporary art and culture – Het HEM. Sanctum invited contemplation and questions the role of architecture within today’s spirituality. The work was based on Van Veluw’s long-term research into the tension between faith and the tangible.
Within this research, Van Veluw was particularly interested in the aspects of the religious process. He investigated whether he, as an artist, is capable of provoking a convincing spiritual experience in the visitor. Through the use of light, symmetry and harmony — often utilised to depict the pursuit of divine perfection — as well as forms reminiscent of altars, idols and temples, he managed to evoke a sacral experience. Van Veluw chose not to focus on political issues surrounding faith but rather explored how the various faiths operate in the mind of the faithful through form and image.
Levi van Veluw (b. 1985) is a multi-disciplinary artist and has produced works ranging from scenographic installations, photographs, films, sculptures, paintings and drawings. Sanctum at Het HEM was his first semi-permanent installation in the Netherlands, which challenged him to develop architectural structures. In addition, Sanctum formed an important next step in his research.
In 2019 Outset Netherlands committed to a multiannual support of Het HEM – a new home for contemporary culture with a multidisciplinary art program made with visionaries of our times – individuals who broaden our view through their personal story, professional practice or perspective. Their mission was to invite today’s creative makers and thinkers and collaborate with them to develop multidisciplinary art programs that shed new light on the world around us. 2020 was the second instalment of our support and followed the previous year’s CHAPTER 2WO by Chilean artist and composer Nicolás Jaar. Once again Het HEM brought forward an artist who uses sound as an essential part of their work, as Sanctum embraced the silence within a vibrant institution.
